Setup Guide

User-dened vSAN cluster or build your own
congurations
User-dened vSAN cluster allows you to build your own congurations. So, User-dened vSAN cluster is also called as build your own
congurations.
You can deploy vSAN by using one of the following:
• vSRN—Dell EMC predened vSAN ReadyNodes supported by both Dell EMC and VMware.
• Create your own conguration or user-dened vSAN cluster—You can build a vSAN cluster by selecting individual software and
hardware components. The software components include driver versions, rmware versions, and so on. The hardware components
include the server model, processor, Memory, Storage I/O controller, NIC, HDDs, SSDs, and so on.
NOTE: Dell EMC recommends that you use Dell EMC vSAN ReadyNodes for HCI solutions, because the certied ReadyNodes go
through extensive certication. However, Dell EMC supports user-dened conguration that is created by selecting the
components from the VCG.
NOTE: Before selecting the cache and capacity tiers, you must ensure that the right endurance and performance category based
drives are selected for cache tier. The VCG provides the list of drives that are compatible for cache or capacity tier and All Flash
or Hybrid proles.
NOTE: Dell EMC recommends that you refer to the footnotes added to the Dell EMC vSAN ReadyNode congurations as they
may be applicable for user-dened vSAN clusters as well.
NOTE: For more information about best practices that must be followed before creating your own vSAN cluster, see vSAN
Design and Sizing Guide.
Support limitations for User-dened vSAN cluster
User-dened vSAN cluster has the following limitations:
• Dell EMC recommends that you use HBA330 based ReadyNodes from the 13th generation of PowerEdge servers.
• H730/H740 RAID controllers are not certied and supported for vSAN on Dell EMC 14th generation PowerEdge servers.
• Dell EMC does not support Heterogeneous OS conguration within a vSAN cluster. For example, a vSAN cluster cannot have servers
with ESXi 6.5.x and 6.7.x branches.
• Dell EMC does not support the use of SED drives with hardware encryption enabled. However, SEDs are used in vSAN environment
with hardware encryption turned o.
• The 4Kn drives are not supported in vSAN environment.
• For VMware ESXi, Dell EMC supports various boot devices such as IDSDM-based SD cards, BOSS-S1 controllers, On board SATA, and
rear drives. For more information about the various boot devices that are supported in vSAN environment, see Virtual SAN
Considerations When Booting from a Flash Device
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8 User-dened vSAN cluster or build your own congurations